by Lea Hart
“That would be my pleasure.”
The flash of a smile he gave her told her that his reputation was well earned. He was pretending that he was going to let her, but the truth was he was the king of submissions, and there was no way he’d let her call the shots. Unless she made it worth his while.
***
Bree was twisted up in the silks and having the time of her life. If she decided to leave the law, she might have a career with Cirque du Soleil. The long strips of fabric provided more of a workout than she’d bargained for. The classes had always appealed to her and she was glad to finally have a chance to see what it was all about. Gina had been kind to let her join the full class and she was having a blast.
The moment she slid down and her feet touched the ground, she let out a whoop. Hearing the women clap made her feel like a million bucks. She let the silks go and stepped away so the next person could have her turn. When the woman shimmied up the silks like a pro, Bree clapped in appreciation. The moment she twirled herself into the ropes and then let herself go, she let out a breath. It was beautiful and graceful, just like the aerialists she’d always admired.
This was the first afternoon in longer than she could remember when she had taken the time to try something new. Something just for fun. Feeling a wash of happiness, she realized it was something that she needed to do more of. Over the last year, she had thrown herself into work as a way to cope with her disastrous personal life, and it was time to find a balance. All work and no play made Bree a very boring girl. Something she didn’t want to let stand.
Gina walked over and slung her arm around her shoulder. “You ready to try the trapeze?”
“In my heart, yes. In my mind, not so much. I’ve tried a bunch of times and I’ve never gotten off the platform.”
“It’s not for everyone. If you want to do it with Matt, then you can. The bar is long enough that you can do a tandem jump.” Gina looked across the large room and crossed her arms. “Here they come. Let us know if you decide you want to try it.”
Bree watched Matt walking in her direction and appreciated his sexy swagger. It was the very definition of ease and confidence in its finest form. Maybe she should consider going up with him. It sure would be a relief to conquer the hurdle.
In less than a minute he was by her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and shaking his head. Looking up, she noticed a frown as he scanned the room. “What’s wrong?”
“You look too damn good in those workout clothes,” he mumbled.
“I think that was a compliment, but I’m not sure.” Stepping away, she crossed her arms, which made him groan. Looking down, she realized that her cleavage was on display. She pulled her top up, then crossed her arms again. “Are you going up on the trapeze?”
“I have a sweatshirt in my bag. You want me to run and get it?”
“No.” Pushing his arm, she laughed. “Go on and let me see your sexy moves. Fly through the air and impress me.”
Marcus whistled and pointed toward the ladder. “We have about an hour before Gina’s next class. If you want to try it, we’ve got to do it now.”
Matt gave her a kiss and then sauntered over to the ladder. “Get ready to be impressed,” he called over his shoulder.
When he didn’t have a moment’s trepidation, she envied him. Looking up to the platform, she winced. Twenty-five feet didn’t sound like a lot, but it was enough to make her freeze every time she attempted it. Watching the guys receive instruction from Marcus made her realize that she could be over there with them. She could be the woman she saw in her mind—fearless, gutsy, and willing to try new things. And not the woman she was in real life—petrified, semi-cowardly, and prone to keeping her routine.
Marcus ascended the ladder, stood on the platform, and waited for the first fighter to follow him. It took less than two minutes to secure the harness to the safety belt and another two minutes of instruction and the guy had the bars in his hands and was swinging off the platform. He swung back and forth several times and then let go and flew into the net. After bouncing a couple of times, he let out a loud whoop, released his belt from the safety harness, and rolled off the net.
How did they do that and make it look so easy? Matt was next and went through the same routine, and so did the other two guys. Chewing her thumb, she studied each one and wondered how they took the first step off the board. That’s where she always got stuck. She could get up the ladder and get strapped into the harness with no problem. After that…nothing.
Matt looked so damn happy after he’d done it and she was jealous. Crazy jealous. This damn trapeze had become a symbol for her of all the things she had wanted to do but didn’t. The choices she’d made because they seemed safe instead of the ones she really wanted.
Feeling her breath catch in her chest, she had a flash of clarity. Dating Grayson had always been the smart choice, the one that made the most sense. When they’d met in law school she was impressed with his intelligence, and when he’d asked her out she saw no reason not to go.
And that’s how their relationship progressed…sensibly. Not for one moment of one day of one month did she ever feel anything beyond a deep, abiding friendship. For some reason, she had mistaken that for love. Safe love. A love that would never test her on any level.
Turned out, she couldn’t have been more wrong. There was nothing safe about Grayson, and her choice had blown up in her face and was biting her in the ass to this day.
Safety had gotten her a broken heart, and she had a hand in making that happen. Feeling her heart beat against her chest, she finally realized that it wasn’t completely Grayson’s fault. It was hers too. He’d told her that she hadn’t been enough, and for the first time, she realized that neither was he. Maybe he wasn’t the villain after all. Maybe he was the one with courage who saved them from a huge mistake.
She strode over to Matt, crossed her arms, and stood behind him. This damn flying through the air was going to happen tonight. No more wimping out. When he turned around and lifted his eyebrows, she lifted hers too. “I’m going to try it and I want you to go with me. Gina said that we could go together and I need your help.”
“Damn, girl. Let’s get you up there.” Stepping back, he swept his arm up. “I can’t wait to see you fly through the air.”
“You’re not going to see anything because we’re going together.” When he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder, she laughed. “You better not keep that up. I can feel your excitement.” He pulled her closer and pressed himself against her behind. “Matt…stop that.”
“No way. I’m going to get you thinking about sex instead of fear. By the time we step off that board, you’re going to be thinking about the many ways you want me to take you and not your fear of flying.”
Before she could respond, it was their turn. Carefully, she climbed up the ladder and felt her heart pound with every step. Matt was right behind her, commenting on the things he wanted to do to her when they got back to the hotel. The man had more creativity than she originally gave him credit for. Two of the things he suggested didn’t even seem possible.
Before she knew it, they were standing on the board and Marcus was getting them into safety belts. Once he was done, he secured them to the harnesses. Matt was going to have his hands next to hers on the bar, and they would make one pass over the net and then release.
Once they were secured and Marcus had pulled the fly bar back with a noodle, she realized it was happening. Matt put his hands on the bar and she put her hands inside his. No getting out of it now.
“Get ready, Bree. This is going to be the first of many adventures together.”
His deep voice in her ear and his solid body surrounding her gave her the confidence she needed.
Marcus gave them both a grin and said, “Hup.”
It was their signal that it was time to jump off. Matt’s knees bent and so did hers. Closing her eyes, she let her body be led by his. No more thinking, onl
y feeling. Before she knew it, they had jumped off together and were flying high above the net. It was exhilarating, frightening, and amazing. They made one pass and then she heard Matt yell, “Release!” Her hands slipped off the bar and she felt his arms go around her. Before she knew what was happening, they were bouncing into the net. All the breath left her body as they rolled together.
Laughing and crying, she felt his arms firmly anchored around her waist. Holding her, making sure she was safe. The moment they settled into the net, she opened her eyes and looked into the face of the man who’d made one of her wishes come true. Something she never would’ve accomplished on her own. Pulling him close, she gave him a kiss that she hoped conveyed how much he meant to her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Monday Evening
They climbed out of the net and the moment their feet hit the ground, Bree grabbed him around the waist and hugged him with everything she had. “You did it, girl.”
“Only because you helped me.”
When she lifted her head away from his chest, he had a chance to see her shining eyes and flushed face. He’d given her that. It was a powerful feeling to know he had a little bit to do with her happiness. Made him want to do it on a regular basis.
Marcus called out congratulations from the board before he climbed down the ladder and joined his wife. Bree then tugged his hand and walked over to the couple. “Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to realize a dream.”
Marcus wrapped his arm around Gina’s waist and grinned. “Anytime. Having a partner to help you out makes all the difference in the world.” He looked down at his wife and nodded. “I got myself a good one, so I know.”
Matt tightened his grasp on Bree’s hand and grinned. If he was lucky, Bree would hear the words and realize he was her perfect partner. The last three days had shown him they were well suited for one another despite their differences.
When they were together, he felt a happiness that he’d never experienced before. It filled up every part of him and he wanted to make sure he held on to it. “Thanks for a great day. I’ll see you guys tomorrow for the clinic.”
“Did Marcus talk you into teaching the master class in the morning?” Gina asked.
“Yes, and I’m also going to do a couple for the kids in the afternoon. Marcus thinks they’ll get a kick out of having me as a coach for the day.”
“They absolutely will,” Bree added. “Having an MMA champion coach will give them bragging rights for weeks.”
Matt scrubbed his hand across his face and shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“Thanks again for a great afternoon,” Bree said. “I better shower up and then take this guy out to dinner.”
Matt waved to his friends and then tugged Bree in the direction of the locker rooms. When they came to a quiet hallway, he pulled her in, leaned down, and pressed their mouths together. The emotions running through his body were unfamiliar and a little uncomfortable, and the only way to make sense of them was to get as close to Bree as he could. To fuse them together, so he could get himself under control. When she kissed him back and ran her hand inside his T-shirt, he felt a corner of his heart slip into her hands.
This is what he wanted to hold on to, Bree giving herself to him, showing him how she felt. Sure, it was just a physical thing, but he had a feeling that for a woman like Bree it was a lot more than a physical release. If he had to guess, she was involving her emotions as well. Which might not be anything she wanted pointed out. He pulled his mouth away from hers, saw her dilated pupils, and knew she was almost as far gone as he was. “Maybe we’ll skip showers and dinner and just go back to the hotel and celebrate your victory on the trapeze.”
Looking over her shoulder, she bit her bottom lip and then shrugged. “Or we could see if that supply room is empty and have a quickie.”
Looking down, he saw the uneven rise and fall of her chest and her nipples pressing against her shirt. Goddamn, she was turned on. Seemed his dream girl was interested in doing it somewhere they could get caught. Maybe they were going to take care of another dream of hers. His cock started throbbing at the thought of bending her over and burying himself in her heat. Pulling her toward the door, he grunted his approval. Opening it, he saw that it was a good-size room filled with various pieces of equipment and stacks of mats. He could bend her over those mats and give them both a lot of pleasure.
He pulled her inside and heard her laugh when he locked the door. “Not planning on letting anyone see my woman naked. Sorry if it wrecks your fantasy.”
“Nothing is wrecked.”
“You ready, Bree?”
Holding her at arm’s length, he watched her head bob up and down. “Need to hear you say it, so there’s no confusion. Tell me you want me.”
“Yes. That’s what I want.”
“Say my name, Bree.” When her hand fluttered to her chest, he almost told her she didn’t have to. But before he could, she replied.
“I want you, Matt. Please don’t make me beg.”
“No begging, honey. I just want to make sure you want me half as much as I want you.”
She dropped the running shoes she held in her hand and then peeled off her leggings. Letting her eyes rise slowly to his, she gave him a wicked smile. “Come and see for yourself.”
Walking her slowly backward, so that her back was against a stack of mats, he licked his lips. “I like seeing what belongs to me.” He dropped his eyes to the delicate folds between her gorgeous legs and saw they were plump and glistening with moisture. Inhaling a deep breath, he filled his lungs with her scent. The blood in his veins thickened with a sharp hunger.
He lifted his eyes and held her gaze as he slowly dragged his fingers up the inside of her thigh until they sank into the softest, wettest heat he’d ever encountered. “All this for me?”
“Yes,” she replied as her legs quivered.
Delving deeper, he drew more moisture from her body. “Only for me.” When he caught her clit between his two fingers and tugged gently, she moaned softly. “This is mine too.”
Her hips pushed into his hand and she nodded. “Okay.”
Sliding his fingers through her slick desire again, he watched her startling blue eyes dilate further with heat and hunger that matched his. He lifted his hand to his mouth and sucked her taste. “You’re so sweet,” he murmured as he licked his fingers clean. “When we get back to the hotel, I’m going to bury my face and tongue in your pussy and eat you up.”
Bree let out a little pant, and her expression reflected the same lust that was burning him up inside. “You like my filthy mouth,” he said.
“I do.” She groaned. “I really do.”
“Good. Now turn around so I can see that perfect ass of yours.” She didn’t hesitate to comply, and her willingness to please him set his blood on fire. It wasn’t anything he would ever take for granted. Her vulnerability and trust meant that he would do anything and everything in his power to protect her and take care of her. It was a gift he was going to appreciate.
Stroking his palm over her full, bare bottom made her back arch, which had his cock pulsing with need. He tore open his shorts and shoved them down his legs along with his briefs. “Spread your legs wide for me, Bree,” he ordered.
Guiding the tip of his cock along her wet crevice, he found her opening and pushed the head inside just a few inches. A needy moan escaped her and she shamelessly rocked back against him, seeking more of his length.
Giving them what they both desperately needed, he grabbed her hips and slammed into her in one driving thrust, burying his shaft balls-deep inside her. She swallowed back a cry as he filled her. He did the same when she tightened around his cock as he tunneled in and out of her tight channel.
Suddenly, she pushed up on her hands, which angled her back and thrust her hips out farther, which drove him deeper. “Matt, I’m going to come so hard.”
The volume of her voice rose as he felt the fluttering of her orgasm around his cock. God, if they
were at the hotel, he wouldn’t care if she screamed at the top of her lungs. Hell, he’d love it. But not here. No one else needed to hear her cries of passion. They belonged to him.
Before she could let loose, he reached up, wrapped his fingers around her jaw and turned her face. Melding their mouths, he crushed their lips together just in time to muffle any noises she would’ve made. His tongue tangled with hers as her body clenched his shaft and she came. He continued to plunge into her from behind fast, hard, and deep.
She was so hot and uninhibited that he was suddenly overwhelmed by the depth of his feelings for her. Forever feelings.
The thought sent a rush of adrenaline through him and triggered an orgasm so intense that he was grateful Bree’s mouth stifled his own loud cries of pleasure.
It took them both some time to recover but they eventually did. After sliding himself out of her heat, he immediately regretted it. Looking down, he saw their combined juices trickle down her legs. Moving his hand down her legs, he rubbed the moisture into her skin. Smiling with satisfaction, he reveled in the fact that he’d marked her.
Truth was, he wanted her to stay that way for as long as possible, and the fact that he was acting like a barbarian bothered him very little. “Should we skip the shower and just go back to the hotel?” he asked as he pulled his clothes up.
She lifted her head slowly and looked over her shoulder and laughed. “No. I can’t walk out of the gym in soaked pants. I’m showering and then we’re going to find some margaritas and tacos. I need to celebrate the trapeze and almost-public sex.”
“There was nothing public about this. The door was locked and I will never let another person see you like this.” Lifting her so that she was standing, he grabbed her pants and tugged them on. He turned her around and kissed her resolutely. “No one sees you like this except me.”
“Okay, Captain Caveman. Let’s go and get cleaned up because I need to be fed.”
He took her hand and laughed at the nickname she gave him. It was right on and he didn’t care a bit. “Hell of a day, Bree. Can’t wait to have a hundred more like it.” When she kissed his arm and smiled, he took that as agreement. All he could do was show her what they could have.